


Umineko no Naku Koro Ni: Board of the Golden Witch

by attachedComposer



Category: Umineko no Naku Koro ni | When the Seagulls Cry
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:00:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22619023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attachedComposer/pseuds/attachedComposer
Summary: Beatrice has decided to test her wits against the Chief Inquisitor Dlanor A. Knox.She has constructed a new game for the two to go head to head.Will she be able to best Dlanor of the Ten Swords, or will Death Sentence Dlanor kill the witch for good?
Relationships: Beatrice the Golden Witch & Dlanor A. Knox
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. The Board is Set

The sound of clacking heels bounced around the walls as Virgilia and Ronove made their way to where the Golden Witch had herself holed up. Ronove had a plate of small snacks, knowing that she had most likely neglected any food or drink that she couldn't make herself, and this way they could have a nice chat over tea. He wasn't quite sure why she had set herself upon this, but decided that was a conversation best held over tea. He knew that she was very hot-headed, and once she set her mind on something that she wasn't going to back down. He noticed the slight frown on Virgilia's face, and smiled at her. She returned the smile, and they carried on. 

The closer they got, the smell of tobacco smoke mixed with what seemed to be some blend of incense got stronger. The two seemed to loosen a tad bit more, the magic in the air almost palpable. They approached the door, and Ronove gave a sharp knock. 

"Greetings Milady, Lady Virgilia and I are here to make sure you take a break. We have gifts of tea and pastries." He paused for a response. "May we intrude?" 

There was a crashing sound from behind the door, and Virigilia stifled a laugh. The door swung open, and the smoke wafted into the hall. The two walked into the room, and they noticed that the room seemed rather messy. Glimpsing Beatrice, they noticed that her face was a little flushed, and she let out a laugh. On the table in front of her, they saw the game board. She seemed to have set the board very similar to her battles with Battler, and Ronove gave a slight frown. 

"Milady, are you sure this is the correct board set-up? You're not going up against Battler, The Inquisitor will absolutely kill you where you stand with no hesitation." She gave Ronove a look, and gestured both him and Virigila to sit down on the other side of the board. As they did, their expression immediately shifted. A smile crossed Virigilia's face.

"You're really pulling out all of the stops on this one, aren't you dear?" She continued to look at the pieces, and Ronove placed the tray on a stand near the table. He began to pour the tea, and once a cup was filled, Virigilia waved her wand and the cups began to set themselves in their hands. When everyone had their tea, Beatrice looked at the two with a huge grin on her face. 

"I think I've done it. I think I've come up with a game worthy of Death Sentence Dlanor." She flushed slightly as she said that, and the others looked at her with a look of concern. They could see the board layout, and it was an impressive set-up indeed. However, both of them were worried that perhaps Beatrice had developed a bit of a death wish. You don't play around with Inquisitors, and especially not Knox. She had allowed Beatrice to continue existing, not having a problem with her as they just existed. But this turns a normal time into a job. And Knox is good at her job. 

"I don't mean to presume, but are you really sure about this? I know that you two have been spending more time together, but I would think with that you wouldn't want to risk death." She frowned, then took a sip of her tea. "This isn't the same as young Battler, and surely you know this my dear." She brought a pastry to her lips. Ronove shifted in his seat, clearly concerned but not wanting to speak out of turn. The witches could speak on this, and he could continue to do what he could to make the talk easier. 

"I understand, Virgilia. This must be strange to see from the outside. But trust me, I know what I'm doing here." She took a drag on her pipe and exhaled, her face looking older for just a split second. "I have spent a lot of time with the Inquisitor, and we get along quite well. Despite her work, she is a charming and interesting person to talk to." She winced slightly, "I've been around for so long at this point. Getting out, meeting others, spending time with people that aren't from the damned Ushiromiya family has let me find out more about myself." Her face grew more red, "I want to show her my heart, Virigila. Surely you of all people can understand that." The last bit was choked out, and she began to sip her tea while avoiding eye contact. Virgilia let out a sigh. 

"Oh dear, you're really quite lost now aren't you." She let out a small laugh, and took a sip of her tea. "Perhaps this isn't a terrible idea. However, you do have to remember that she will absolutely kill you if given the chance. No matter how well you play, she will strike at any kinks in your armor with a deadly precision. Also, in case you have forgotten, she knows the solution. She can easily kill you, and quicker than you can possibly deal with. We're just concerned." She let her gaze fall back at the pieces. "But..."

Beatrice noticed her gaze and grinned. "You noticed too? I expected the previous Beatrice to be able to see my tricks." She gestured at the board, some of her bravado bleeding back through her words. "This isn't just an ordinary game. This is a game that I have honed. The pieces are the same, the story is the similar, but she can't get through just with the information she already had. I found a special situation." She leaned in and placed her hands in her lap. "I said at the beginning that I think I have created a game worthy of Death Sentence Dlanor. I wasn't joking." The look on her face shifted. The other two would almost say that she was glowing in that moment. She magically moved the teapot to her hand, and poured herself another cup, then placed it back on the stand. She noticed Ronove looking at her. "Do you have anything you would like to add, Ronove?"

He let out a small cough, and then ran his fingers through his hair. "I've seen you create several game, Milady. I have also seen Master Battler create games as well. I've seen these pieces, I've seen the twists and turns and the typical set-up of the board." He stopped, placing his hand over his mouth as he seemed to run some words through his head. "I've never seen the board set up like this, Milady. I am quite impressed with what you've managed." Virgilia shot him a look, and he grimaced slightly. He raised his hands near his head, as if showing he had no ill intentions. Virgilia stood, and walked behind the couch where they were sitting. 

"Please don't encourage her, Ronove. I don't want to see my pupil killed for no reason at all." Her tone was very cold, and it felt like she was holding back. She refused to look at Beatrice as she spoke, directing all of her anger towards Ronove. She knew that Beatrice understood what could happen. She knew the board was different enough to potentially not lose. But it was such a pointless gesture when they were already getting along so well. They could just do that forever instead of this sham. She brought her gaze to Beatrice. "Why is she worth death?" 

Beatrice sighed, and intertwined her fingers. She hated when Virgilia got like this, but it was at least understandable. From the outside this seemed like some kid throwing her life away for no reason. But deep down she knew this needed to happen. She wanted Knox to see her heart, to be able to know exactly who she was. To potentially be able to kill her for good. Wandering around with the Ushiromiyas in effectively a purgatory forever was killing her. She needed something new. She realized that she never wanted Battler to begin with, and the thoughts haunted her every night. Of the things that happened, the Kakera that exist solely due to her. She was constantly filled with regret. So, really, death for her wasn't necessarily even a bad outcome. And, if anyone would actually kill her when it was all out there, it was Death Sentence Dlanor. 

"I don't know how to explain this to you in a way that will make sense." She also stood, and took another drag on her pipe. "All I can say is I am perfectly willing to die here. We have two other Beatrices and Maria as well. This won't kill the witches." She closed her eyes, "The outcome I am looking for is so absurd that I have to be willing to put myself at major risk to even be able to will it into existence." She stared at Virgilia, then a smirk crossed her face. "I am the Endless Witch, Beatrice. I won't be put down like a sick dog. I will show her my heart and put everything on the line."

Virgilia shook her head, then moved back around to the front of the couch and sat back down. She looked at the Beatrice in front of her, and while she couldn't understand where she was coming from, she did see her resolve. She let out a sigh, then looked over at Ronove. "There is really no way to talk sense into this child is there?" A small smile spread across her face. She took another sip of tea as she watched Beatrice slump back in her seat, clearly relieved. She gave the board one more look over, then smiled. "It's your funeral, but I will say I have never seen a more extravagant funeral. Do take care dear." She stood, and gestured to Ronove. "Come, the board is set. We need to bring the guest in do we not?" 

Ronove carefully stood, and gathered the cups and placed them on the tray. He followed behind Virgilia, and gently closed the door. As the door shut, Beatrice sighed, and placed her hands behind her head. She was nervous, but couldn't wait to see how the Chief Inquisitor handled her game. She spent such a long time on this game board, and it might be her last.

\--The Board is set, and now the game can begin.


	2. Dlanor of the Ten Wedges Arrives

Dlanor stood at the entrance, looking around at the various flowers planted around the entrance. Her fingers wrapped around a golden rose, and she broke it off, bringing it to her nose. She smiled, then her expression darkened slightly. This wasn't a fun play date, she had been brought here specifically for a challenge. She wasn't sure what brought this mood over Beatrice, but she knew that she had to do what she had to do. After a few minutes of being lost in thought, she noticed two figures heading towards her. She raised her hand, and they appeared to wave back. She couldn't see the ridiculously ornate dress of Beato, so she assumed she was still getting the game ready. Soon she could make out Virgilia and Ronove, two people she hadn't seen in quite some time. She smiled as they approached, and they returned the gesture warmly. Virgilia looked a little concerned, but the look vanished almost as soon as Dlanor had noticed. 

They gestured for her to come in, and she began following them. She was intensely curious about the surrounding areas, but she knew it would be best to just follow along. After a little walking, they made it to a familiar room. The floor was tiled in a checkerboard pattern, black and white, and also there was some older looking furniture with an ornate table in the middle. She noticed that the board was not there, but knew where to sit. After being asked about refreshments, she noticed Virgilia sat across from her. Ronove left to fetch the refreshments, and Dlanor shot Virigilia a look.

"Any reason you're in Beato's chair? I'm only here to kill one witch, no need to make it more than one." She crossed her legs, placing the rose in her lap. Virgilia looked at the Inquisitor up and down, taking her in. she crossed her legs as well, then looked at the table. 

"Why are you here? Surely you don't _want_ to kill her?"

She gulped slightly as Dlanor's expression didn't shift. She knew what the Inquisitor could do but she needed to at least try to understand more about what was going on in her pupil's mind. Maybe this woman could lend some insight that Beatrice herself didn't get across. She slightly shifted her weight, feeling a pressure in the room. 

"I'm here because I was asked to be. It is my job to kill witches, and a witch asked me to try and kill her." She licked her lips, "I couldn't pass that up now could I?" She placed both of her feet back on the ground, and grinned. "I don't really want to kill her no. But, in this situation, is there really anything more exciting I could be doing?" She moved her hands to sit beside her hips and rolled her head back. 

"You really are a monster aren't you?" Virgilia said in a low tone, standing up. "I don't know what I expected to get out of this." As she turned to leave, she felt something tugging at her wrist. She turned and saw Dlanor standing there, and froze in shock. 

"Look, it's more complicated than that. I don't think I would be able to explain it better than Beato, but just understand that this is going to happen, and she wants this to happen. She is aware she could die here, and while I don't want that to happen, it is what it is. As an Eternal Witch, surely you should at least be able to understand how she feels." She made her way back to her seat, and sat back down. As Virgilia made her way to the exit, Ronove entered with the tray. He placed it near the Inquisitor, gave a bow, then walked back out, leaving her alone to wait on Beatrice. 

She thought back to their last few conversations, how this whole thing even got brought up. The discussions over tea about how the dominoes all fell and she felt powerless to stop anything. About how she was created solely to protect the innocence of those on the island, and about how she couldn't even live up to that. She remembered late night talks over tea about how all she could feel was regret over how everything happened. She remembered how the moonlight hit her hair and made it shine like the stars. She shook her head, then gently slapped her own face a few times to get back to lucidity. The aroma of the tea was fantastic, Ronove always knew how to make a wonderful cup of tea. She needed to be as ready as she could be, it would be an insult to Beato if she wasn't completely and absolutely ready to do what needed to be done. 

After about 30 minutes, she heard the familiar clacking on heels on the tile. She stood in front of the chair she was in and clasped her hands in front of her. She saw Beatrice walking in, the light playing off her golden hair, that ever-present dress that she always wore, and it looked like she added a butterfly hair clip to her usual jewelry, She felt her stomach fall as she saw the expression on Beatrice's face. She watched her ever so carefully place the board on the table, and then watched as her pipe appeared in her hand. She grinned at Dlanor, and she felt her face grow slightly warmer. She smiled back, and the bowed. 

"You know that once we start this, there's no ending without your death, correct?" Knox looked intensely at Beato, and she returned the gaze. 

"Why yes, if anything, that's the ultimate goal. But there's always a chance that you lose and I win, no matter how slim that chance might be." She felt her heart begin racing as Beatrice finished her sentence. A wide smile crossed Beatrice's face, her eyes locked on Dlanor. She could feel her skin prickle, she knew exactly what she got herself into. It didn't dawn on her until now how immensely terrifying sitting across the board from Knox would be. She had to push through the anticipation, this was going to potentially be her last game, and she had to stay strong as the woman she had grown to respect through their discussions ripped every bit of it apart. She felt her heart sink slightly, but quickly let out a laugh. She noticed Dlanor shift her weight on her feet, and twirled a portion of her hair as she continued to stare.

"I suppose you're going to need to lay out the ground rules for this fight. I hope you prepared because otherwise this will be over very quickly." A smile crossed her face, and she moved one of her hands to her lips. She raised an eyebrow, waiting on a response from the witch. Beatrice moved the furniture further apart and inhaled from her pipe. As she exhaled, the grin on her face curled at the edges. 

"I can start out with a few basic red statements. Even for a mind like yours, it seems improper to at least not set some ground rules." She waved her pipe in the air like a conductor's wand, and pointed it directly at Knox. "How about three to start with?" Knox raised an eyebrow but didn't break eye contact.

"There are only 17 people on the island."  
"The culprits are not necessarily the same as other games"  
"You are allowed to use the Ten Wedges in this match"

After speaking, Beatrice continued to stand, looking at Knox. Noticing the blades beginning to appear around her, she let out another laugh. "So I assume the rules are to your liking, Inquisitor?" Dlanor again bowed, and as she rose her head, the look on her face completely changed. She looked more determined than Beatrice had seen her in a while, and began to really feel the pressure emanating from her. She really might die in this game, and the more she thought about it, the more that thought legitimately scared her. She had just finally begun to understand more where she wanted to be, what she actually wanted from this boring and eternal existence, and she decided in one instant to potentially throw it away. But the pay-off was absolutely worth it. She was going to bring forth a miracle and she didn't need Bernkastel's help with that. She took another hit from her pipe, and looked at Knox.

"Yes, Heretic. The terms work well for me. Let's see the board you managed to create as I cut deep into your heart and rip it from your body." She felt her entire body shudder as she heard those words, but she did her best to keep the emotion off of her face. Dlanor licked her lips again, her expression shifting to one that looked eager and hungry. She was finally going to get to personally dissect the Eternal Witch, and it was at her own behest. The least she could do is enjoy herself. 

"Then let's begin. I'll show you everything in this match, you better make it worth it!" Looking determined, she began to tell the story. The story that she had told numerous times before. 

This is the story of Rokkenjima in the Year 1986 CE. That fateful family conference that changed so many life will be retold again.

\--The pieces are in place, let us finally begin.


	3. Rokkenjima

Genji rapped quickly on the door, carefully balancing a tray on his hand. He heard a yell from inside the door, signalling him to enter. A small smile crossed his face, but was quickly gone as he opened the door. As he entered, he smelled the smoke that filled the room, tinged with the very poisonous smell of the absinthe. He gave Kinzo a look, showing his disappointment, then placed the meal in front of Kinzo. Very quickly he moved to the side, bowing as he did. Kinzo let out a laugh, and mumbled something about loosening up. He gave the tray a look, then picked his book back up. It was a very thick book, written in a foreign language, but he could tell it had been poured through. He picked up a few of the stray glasses, moving them to his tray, and began to leave. As he did, Kinzo spoke.

"Genji, its going to happen. I'm going to see her again." Genji turned back towards his master, and nodded. He gave Kinzo his undivided attention and began to walk back over. "I've finally got it figured out." His words came out in a gruff voice, and slightly slurred. He was clearly in a headspace that Genji wasn't going to be able to get him out of, so he simply listened. He had been much less lively the previous family conferences, which could be concerning. 

"There are only 17 people on the island, Kinzo Ushiromiya is dea-" The voice caught in her throat. A look of shock crossed the Inquistor's face. Beatrice's face twisted into a hungry smile.

"Oh, cat got your throat~?" She cackled, and took a drag from her pipe. "Oh dear, I'm not boring you already am I?" She waved her pipe around like a conductor's wand. "Certainly you figured I wouldn't have added this little bit in if it wasn't relevant, wouldn't you? Oh, has Dlanor of the Ten Wedges lost her edge?" She began to float in the air, almost as if she was sitting in a chair. "Might I continue?" 

Still shocked, Dlanor moved her hand to her throat. She tried to think through the situation. She still wasn't sure when this was, there was no guarantee that this was 1986. She could try saying that in red, but honestly, there wasn't much to gain from trying to figure out exactly when this was right now. Calming herself down, she grinned, and gestured to Beatrice. "Continue, witch. I will allow you to continue." 

Beatrice laughed. "Good to hear, Inquisitor."

Genji noticed the chessboard sitting, a game still in progress. There weren't many moves left from the looks of it. He turned his attention back to Kinzo. "What makes you so certain it will happen soon? It's been quite some time and none of them have managed to figure it out yet." He stood still, watching Kinzo as he finally began to eat. Kinzo gestured to the alcohol, and Genji knew that meant he wanted him to make a drink. He slowly walked over to the bar, and began to pour. As he did, he heard Kinzo cough. It sounded like his cough was getting worse, but that is to happen when he refuses to listen to his doctor. Of course, he would never say that, it wasn't his place. 

"It's happening. She'll be here soon. I'll be able to see her, to be able to apologize, to have her in my arms once again!" The volume of his voice steadily rose, "I can feel it in the air. I can see the butterflies. Genji, it's going to happen. She'll be mine once again!" He slammed his fists onto the table, tears swelling in his eyes. Genji finished the drink, something he had gotten quite used to doing, and walked it over to his master. He offered it to him, and stood beside the desk again. Kinzo drank the liquid down in one gulp, and slammed the cup on the table. He quickly stood, and moved to the window. Outside, the clouds had gotten darker and the area was quite overcast. He noticed some golden butterflies, and he felt the tears run down his face. It was just him and Genji, and that man knew him and his sins better than almost anyone. If there was anyone who would allow him to grieve, it was Genji. He turned back around, and gestured for Genji to leave. He needed to be alone for a while, to prepare for meeting Beatrice once again after so long. Genji bowed, and picked the food back up. He noticed that Kinzo had managed to eat a decent amount, and began to walk to the door. He heard Kinzo laughing as he closed the door, listening to it lock behind him. He made his way back towards the kitchens, bowing at Natsuhi as he passed. She appeared to be nursing another headache, and made a note to mention that to Chiyo. Entering the kitchen, he placed the tray with the dishes, and quickly left, on the lookout for Kanon. 

"Well Knox, this is an odd situation isn't it?" Beatrice cackled. Dlanor frowned, trying to piece together when this was. Surely Kinzo isn't actually alive right now? This has to be a red herring. She shot a look at Beatrice. "Oh don't worry, let me help you out here. This is the year of 1986. Kinzo Ushiromiya is alive." She began to cackle again. Knox was taken aback, trying to figure out what could be so different about this game. With Kinzo alive from the start, the configurations are a lot more fluid. She pursed her lips, placing a finger on them. She enjoyed the twist the witch had managed to place at the very beginning, and wanted to see where the rest could go. If Kinzo was alive, there isn't much that she needed to know here. She was wondering what Beatrice's plan was, given that she seemed to be very happy to just hand out red truths like candy on Halloween. She had already managed to get 5 and the game had just started. It was quite suspicious, but she figured she would just keep as much of it to herself as she could for now, and use the truths she had been given to rip the witch's heart out. She didn't want to over-extend her hand, and it felt like the witch was doing just that. If she had to let her back herself into a corner, then that's exactly what she would do.

"Very interesting." She cocked her head to the side, "This is definitely an interesting board. I was certain you wouldn't let me down, and so far, you're delivering." She crossed her arms over her chest. She saw Beatrice smirk, and felt her face flush slightly. Hoping that she didn't notice, she looked off to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Beatrice's eyebrow raise. "Well, shall we continue?"

"I suppose we could. I have so much more story to tell~" She took another long drag on her pipe. She spent some time savoring it, knowing that this might very well be her last one. All she had to do was keep a single place she could hide. A single flaw that the Inquisitor couldn't break, and with that she would be able to make it out of this fight alive. So, she had to play it safe. Giving out more red truths than needed is definitely a dangerous strategy, but she had some backup plans. She expected to lose a lot more in the first round, but it seemed like Knox was building up information prior to unleashing the wedges on her. 

"Don't hold anything back Inquisitor." She said with a pout, "I chose you because I knew you would kill me. Don't disappoint me." The last bit came out a little bit colder than she intended, but she was in this for the long haul. She placed her hands behind her head, and grinned. 

"Of course not, Heretic." She noticed the gleam in Knox's eyes, and felt her heart skip a beat. "I will rip your heart out and crush it in my hands." She licked her lips, "Don't you worry about that."

\- The first move has been made, a pawn lost in the game.


	4. The Golden Witch

Battler looked around the room he found himself in. He felt a little apprehensive about being here, it begin the first family conference he had shown up to since adding himself back to the family register. He shot a look at Rudolf, watching exactly where his gaze was landing. He knew his old man well, and took every opportunity to lambaste him. He felt it was kind of strange that this place was so empty, it wasn't like specifically for the Ushiromiyas. They just caught a plane here so that they could make it to the dock where the boat would taken them to the island of Rokkenjima. He absolutely hated boats, but from what he remembered the boat tended to take its time. He remember hearing rumors of the captain racing boats in his spare time but surely he wouldn't modify the boat that he uses for work, right? Would Grandpa let him do that? Lost in his thoughts, he hardly noticed George, Eva, and Hideyoshi come in. He snapped to his senses when he felt someone very roughly grip his shoulders and give him a shake. 

"Well boy, it's been years, how y'all holding up. It's good to see you again!" He smiled a little at Hideyoshi's drawl, and remembered that Eva mentioned he faked it so that other people would find him more approachable. Either way, it was nice to see him again. He stood up, and Hideyoshi stepped back a little. "Well Battler! I remember when you were knee high to a grasshopper, when'd you get so tall boy?" Battler grinned, placing a hand behind his head.

"I've guess i just ate a lot of vegetables and drank my milk." he let out a laugh, and noticed Eva walking over. She was continued her look of "Martial Artist mixed with Librarian" and it suit her well. He felt her fan bap him on the head, and she laughed.

"You've gotten taller than George it seems! It's really quite a drastic change. Are you sure you're actually Battler Ushiromiya?" He saw George flush slightly, and then cough. He stood up more straight and grinned. She walked over and made her way to the desk to check in, as the other two sat down. He went to sit down, and noticed the time. Over the intercom, he heard mention of their plane leaving in about a thirty minutes. He wished his old man hadn't decided to show up a couple of hours early, but he guessed that it wasn't as big of a deal with the storm coming. They began chatting and catching out, for most of the family it had been around 6 years since they had seen Battler. he recounted stories of his school time and living with his maternal grandparents. Whenever the question of why he decided to come back came up, he tended to immediately divert the question elsewhere. After a time pass, they saw the doors slam open, with Rosa running with Maria's wrist in her hand. Once inside, she caught her breath and wiped away some of the sweat on her face with a cloth. Seeing her walk in, Eva's expression immediately changed, and she got up and walked over. Hideyoshi pretended not to notice, and began talking with Battler some more, but before long Maria wandered over and he immediately focused all of his attention on her. He pulled a lollipop out of his pocket and offered it to her, and almost as quickly as Battler noticed it, he saw it disappear. Maria had a huge grin on her face. 

"Now put that away for now, okay little lady? Don't want your momma getting upset that Uncle Hideyoshi gave you a treat before dinner now do we?" He winked, and she beamed at him, placing the candy in her purse. She noticed Battler and quickly moved behind George, attempting to completely hide behind his knee and failing. He laughed, and pat her on the head. 

"No need to be scared, this is Battler? Don't you remember him?" She shook her head, and Battler wasn't surprised. The last time he remembered seeing her, she was around 3, so it wasn't all that surprising that she would forget. "Well, he is your cousin, and he's not going to hurt you. He's a friend!" Maria peeked over George's leg a little, and Battler gave her a smile. 

"Yeah! I've been gone for a while, but we cousins have to stick together, right?" Maria moved slightly more into view, and smiled. 

"New friend? Uuuuuuuu...." She quietly spoke, still looking suspicious of Battler, and he offered out his hand.

"Absolutely! We cousins are good friends, isn't that right George?" George laughed at that, and nodded. Maria seemed to relax more at that, and shook Battler's hand.

"New friend! Uuuu-Uuuuuu!" She smiled and Battler pat her head. She dug in her purse, and pulled out a candy and offered it to Battler. "Trick or treat! Uuuuu-Uuuuuuuu!" He noticed Eva and Rosa coming over, and he saw Rosa's expression change. 

"What have I said about that, Maria. You're not a baby anymore." She quickly snatched the candy out of Maria's hand, and grabbed her wrist. She pulled her away from Battler, and as he got up to follow, Eva placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"She's a terrible mother, you know? Don't attempt to interfere, it's not your place." The expression on Eva's face seemed almost sinister, but as soon as he noticed, it was back to normal. He wasn't sure what was going on, but before he had a chance to contemplate it, the intercom came on, mentioning that the plane was ready. They all quickly got up, and made their way outside, noticing that it had finally started to rain. As soon as the plane came into view, Battler jumped. 

"What, are you scared of planes as well?" He heard George laugh from behind him and he blushed. 

"People are supposed to travel on ground! And besides, this plane barely looks like it has enough room for us all!" He was clearly panicking and that just made everyone laugh harder. He may have grown in many ways, but this wasn't one of them. He felt Rudolf grip his shoulder, and heard Kyrie stifling a laugh. He could smell that old bastard's cologne, he never just used a little, it was as if he bathed in it. He wasn't sure how Kyrie dealt with that. Before he knew it, he was being pushed into the plane, and into a seat. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dlanor shifted her weight slightly. Beatrice stopped speaking, and grinned. "Yes Knox, what is it?" 

"There needs to be a detective in this game. It makes less sense for it to be Battler in this one, because you are playing across from me." She pressed a finger to her lips, and Beatrice took a drag on her pipe. 

"Oh don't worry, that will be cleared up in time. Would you like to attempt to strike at me to find it out now, or are you feeling patient?" She grinned, enjoying needling Knox. Knox smiled, and a blue blade appeared in her hand. She hurled it at the witch at the same time she spoke.

"Battler Ushiromiya is the Detective." Almost instantly, a red barrier appeared before Beatrice.

"Battler Ushiromiya is not the Detective."

The blade bounced off of the barrier quite easily, and a smile crossed Knox's face. Beatrice raised and eyebrow. "Oh, would you like to share with the class?" She grinned and crossed her arms over the chest. 

"Not quite yet, no. All will happen in due time." She sipped on her tea, and crossed her legs. "Shall we continue?" 

"I am actually planning on skipping the boat ride, I'm sure you understand Inquisitor." She laughed, and exhaled some more smoke. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
As soon as Battler's feet hit the ground, he collapsed onto it, kissing the soil. Everyone continued to laugh at him as he seemed to attempt to give it a hug. He felt a tug on his collar and he began to rise, smelling the old bastard again. He felt him hit the back of his head, and he realized what was happening. He blushed, and rubbed the spot. "You don't have to hit so hard, bastard." He heard Rudolf laugh.

"Just get up to the mansion, yeah? Jeez you're acting like a 12 year old." Kyrie grabbed Rudolf's ear, and began dragging him towards the stairs. "Have a good time with your cousins, I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do. We'll meet you inside." He heard Rudolf complaining as he was being dragged, and that put a smile on his face. He noticed Jessica coming up with the others, the cousins seemed to have stayed a little further back than the adults, splitting the groups into two. She rolled her eyes, "I don't want to hear them argue about the inheritance anymore, I'm so tired." She cracked her neck, and began to move towards the stairs. 

"We should get up there though, yeah? There's still a storm on the horizon and this rain is only going to get worse. C'mon, let's go." As she made placed her foot on the step, she heard Maria shouting. 

"Someones in the water! Uuuuuu-Uuuuuuuu!" She began to jump up and down, pointing her finger at the water. In the brush near the shore, Battler saw a body. She looked like she was still breathing, and without thinking about it, he jumped into the water, suit and all. He wrapped an arm around her waist and quickly made his way back to the dock, lifting her up for George and Jessica to lift. As they got her onto the dock, she coughed up some water, and her eyes opened. 

"Holy hell, are you okay? Do you know your name?" Jessica began to ask, clearly concerned. Battler made it back on the dock and started to try to catch his breath. He looked at the girl he pulled from the water, and noticed her lavender pigtails, combined with an almost severe outfit. She definitely didn't seem like she was from this area. Before he could keep thinking, she managed to start speaking.

"I was on a boat, and fell off and all I remember is that there was so much water. My name is London. It's a pleasure to meet you." She coughed some, and began to try to sit up. She was still clearly quite uneasy moving, but she wanted to get up. Jessica and George offered their hands and helped her to her feet, placing her arms around their necks. 

"Let's get you inside okay? We can figure the rest out from there." Jessica said, beginning to walk back to the stairs. Battler just stood there and stared at the scene, realizing he was completely soaked. He reached out for Maria's hand. 

"C'mon let's head in, yeah?" He smiled at her, and she took his hand, and the cousins began the trek up to the mansion.   
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dlanor raised her eyebrows. "You made me a piece? Interesting." She placed a finger on her chin, her brow furrowing. 

"It was the least I could do, Inquisitor." Beatrice laughed, and cracked her neck. "And, just so that you understand completely:"

"London is the Detective. London is your Piece. You are free to use her to get information that you need."

\-- A new piece appears, pre-planned from the beginning.


End file.
